Annealing box



P. E. HUNTER Nov. 24, 1931.

ANNEALING BOX Filed July 1'7, 1930 Patented Nov. 24, 1931 UNITED STATESPERCY E. HUNTER, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA ANNEALING BOX Applicationfiled July 17,

My invention relates to annealing boxes, and has for one object toprovide an effective annealing box composed of sheet steel or ofheat-resisting alloy which shall be formed to 'provide the requisitestrength and rigidlinother object of my invention is to provide anannealing box of corrugated sheet metal which shallbe of simple andrugged construction and to provide such box with novel and effectivemeans to prevent it from collapsing when highly heated.

Another object of my invention is to provide an annealing box ofcorrugated metal plates wherein means are provided for preventing thetendency of the corrugations in the plates from spreading and flatteningwhen the box is. subjected to annealing temperatures.

Still another object of my invention is to provide an annealing boxcomposed of metal plates that are assembled in such a manner thatsubstantially all portions of the box will have the same degree ofexpansion and con: traction, thereby preventing bending and "distortionof the box when in use.

Other objects of my invention will be apparent from the detaileddescription whichollows, taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein:Figure 1 is a plan view of an annealing box composed of steel plates andassembled in one manner in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is aside elevational view thereof; Fig. 3 is a view taken on the line IIIIIIof Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a modified construction of thestructure of Fig. 3, and. Fig. 5 is a side elevational view thereofpartly in section, mainly accordant with Fig. 4. I

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of. the drawings, I show an annealing boxhaving walls composed of side plates 6, end plates 7 and a top plate 8.Each end plate 7 is provided r with flanges 9 to which the side plates 6and the top plate 8 are suitably secured, preferably b welding, therebassuming a rigid, air-tig t connection. he upper ed e of each side plateis shown as turne inwardly to provide a longitudinally-extendingstrengthening flange 10 for the upper por- 1930. Serial No. 468,552.

tion of the side plate, and the top plate 8 is welded to the flange 10to secure a completelfi closed joint between the plates, although t eflange 10 may be omitted, if desired. The lower edges of the side andend plates are flanged to provide a reinforced rim for the open endofthe box and serve as a seat therefor.

In order to reinforce the end plates7 against bulging, corrugations 11are provided therein, and preferably the corrugations extend m ahorizontal direction transversely of the plates, but other corrugationsmay be provided which extend in any desired direction. The top plate 8is also stifi'ened and strengthened by means of corrugations 12.Likewise,

the side plates 6 are provided with stiffening corrugations 13 thatextend preferably in a vertical direction to reinforce the side platesagainst buckling and sagging.

However, in annealing boxes composed of corrugated plates, owing to theintense long continued heat to which the boxes are subjected, the platesbecome warped and distorted due to the tendency of the corrugations toflatten and spread, thereby permitting the roof of the box, as formed bythe top plate 8, to sag and to eventually collapse entirely.

One feature of my invention is to prevent such spreading of thecorrugations, and consists of strap or tie members 14 which extendacross the base of the corrugations in the plates and are welded orotherwise secured at their ends to the plates, either at points insidethe corrugations or at points to either side thereof. In this manner,the corrugations 11, 12 and 13 in the plates 7, 8

and 6, respectively, are prevented from spreading under the influence ofthe high temperatures. .Any number of such strap or tie members 14 maybe secured across or to the corrugations, as desired.

Each side plate 6 is preferably formed umform expansive and contractivecharacteristics. Of course, longitudinally-extending corrugations havingstrap members l4 may be employed to serve as longitudinal reinforcingmembers for the side plates, and yet retain the uniform expansive andcontractive characteristics. 1

It is to be noted that the flanges 15 and 17 are positioned in abuttingrelation so that the upper and lower portions of the flanges will'besubject to the heat equally thereby causing equal and simultaneousexpansion of the flanges to prevent shearing strains at this point.

Also, it is to be noted that the plates constituting the box are of thesame thickness throughout, and fully reinforced for strength, therebyaffording uniform expansion and contraction during heating and coolingperiods thus eliminating to a great extent the tendency of the box tobulge and warp.

Referring now to Figs. 4 and 5, I show a modified construction for anannealingbox especially suitable for use in an electric heater typeannealing furnace. In this structure corrugated side and top plates 20and 21 are Welded to corrugated end plates 22 in a man-. nerabove-described in connection with Figs. 1, 2 and 3. However, in thisstructure the corrugations in the end plates 22 and the side plates 20project inwardly of the box, thus leaving the box free from externalprojections. The top plate 21 is provided with transverse corrugations23 that extend completely across the width of the plate. The side plates20 extend upwardly to anpoint adjacent to the upper side of thecorrugations, and are welded to the top plate along the edges thereof,to form a tight, rigid joint between the side walls and the top of thebox.

The upper portion of the box is thereby reinforced against bulging andsagging. Spreading of the corrugations is prevented by the use of strapmembers 24 which are welded across the corrugations at pointsintermediate the-ends thereof.

While I have shown the box as having a flat roof plate, it isto beunderstood that arched or other types of roof may be used, and othermodifications and arrangements may be employed without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the appended claims.

changes in temperature as the upper portions of the box.

I claim as my invention 1. A sheet metal annealing box havingcorrugations in the walls thereof for reinforcement, and tie membersextending transversely of said corrugations and welded to said walls atpoints between the corrugations.

2. A sheet metal annealing box having corrugations in the walls thereoffor reinforcement, and a tie member welded across each corrugation, thesaid members being positioned intermediate the ends of saidcorrugations.

3. A sheet metal annealing box comprising corrugated side and end wallshaving their adjacent edges welded together, a corrugated top connectedto said walls, and tie members extending transversely of the saidcorrug'ations in said walls and top and secured thereto.

4. An annealing box provided with a wall composed of sheet metal plateshaving longitudinally-extending abutting flanges on their adjacentedges, and secured together to form a longitudinal reinforcementtherefor, a plurality of reinforcing corrugations formed in said platesfor stiffening the same transversely of the said flanges, and tiemembers extending transversely of said corrugations and welded to saidlates.

5. A sheet metal annealing box having corrugations in the walls thereoffor reinforcement, and tie members extending transverse ly of saidcorrugations and secured to said walls at points between thecorrugations.

In testimony whereof I, the said PERCY E. HUNTER have hereunto set myhand.

PERCY E. HUNTER.

Referring further to Figs. 2, 3 and 5, be-

neath the horizontal reinforcing flanges or ribs 15, the side walls areprovided with vertically-extending corru atlons 25 whose lower portionsare relative y free to expand and contract under temperature changes.This feature is of utility by reason of the fact that the lower edge ofthe box is commonly embedded in sand which is used as a seal, and 'istherefore not subject to so great

